Air pulsing system

ABSTRACT

A system utilizing a pressure storage vessel for initially charging a first air cylinder of a series of air cylinders. Valve means admits a flow of pressurized air, in a sequential manner, into the cylinders for piston movement downwardly to compress spring members to a loaded condition. Additional valve means, closed during downward piston movement, are subsequently actuated to permit discharge of an air impulse, by the action of said spring combined with a second source of air pressure acting on the underside of the piston. The last cylinder of the series is operable to impart a force to a media for the operation of a motor for powering a vehicle.

D United States Patent 11 1 3,666 038 Hudspeth et al. 5] May 30, 197254] AIR PULSING SYSTEM 1,469,140 9/1923 Baisden ..417/231 72 Inventors:Steve A. Hudspeth; John B. Lunsford, '32??? 2 1 slam both of Springfieldg 1, 5 932 Newton ..4l7/233 2,941,608 6/1960 Parnsh 180/66 R X [73]Assignee: FMA, Inc., Eugene, Oreg.

Primary Examiner-Benjamin Hersh [22] Filed: 1970 AssistantExaminerlVli1ton L. Smith 2 1 App] 79 24 Attorney-James D. Givnan, J1.

[57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. ..l80/66 B, 60/57 R, 60/62, I I

417 /231 A system utilizing a pressure storage vessel for initiallycharg- 511 1111.01. ..B60k 3 00, B60k 27/00 first cylinder f 9 aircylindefs- Valve mefms 58 Field of Search ..180/66 B, 66 R; 60/62, 57 R,adm'ts P 'F m a sequenml manner 60/57 T, 6; 417/231, 233 the cylindersfor piston movement downwardly to compress spring members to a loadedcondition. Addltional valve [56] References Cited means, closed duringdownward piston movement, are subsequently actuated to permit dischargeof an air impulse, by UNITED STATES PATENTS the action of said springcombined with a second source of air pressure acting on the underside ofthe piston. The last 1,017,835 2/1912 wl lklnson ..60/62 X cylinder ofthe Series is operable to impart a force to a media i 2315116 g for theoperation of a motor for powering a vehicle. ooper... 1,337,501 4/1920Arluskes ..60/62 X 7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Pmwmed May 39, 1972 2Sheets-Sheet STEVE A. HUDSPETH JOHN B. LUNSFQRD INVENTOR.

Patented May 30, 1972 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 STEVE A HUDSPETH JOHN B. LUNSFORDINVENTOR.

AIR PULSING SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF'TI-IE INVENTION Thepresent inventionrelates generally to a system for converting a pressurized air flow intoa pulsating air flow wherein the air impulses are utilized to impartmovement to a motor for powering of a vehicle.

The use of air as a media for imparting a driving force to the powertrain of a vehicle has, to a large extent, not proved practical.Further, the use of fluid powered motors associated in direct drive witha vehicles wheels also has apparently not proved practical for onereason or another. In such embodiments, fluid a media for transmittingpower is pressurized to provide a constant pressure flow through fluidmotors associated with the vehicle wheels. The pumps in sucharrangements are powered by the vehicles internal combustion engrnes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is embodied in a seriesof cylinders with each cylinder having both a piston reciprocal thereinresponsive to differential pressures and resilient means acting on itspiston. Air flows sequentially through the cylinders and ultimately pastan air motor for conversion of the air flow to mechanical power. Airconduits in communication with each cylinder direct an air flowalternately to opposite sides of the piston therein with the air beingforcefully discharged from each cylinder by the combined action of airpressure and the resilient member associated with the cylinder.Downstream of the motor is a low pressure tank constituting a source oflow pressure air. Low pressure air is utilized to assist the resilientmember of each cylinder to forcefully exhaust the air from the cylinder.

A high pressure tank provides an initial flow of high pressure air tothe first cylinder of the series of cylinders. The tank may be of thetype intermittently charged by compressor means or a storage tankcapable of receiving periodic charges of air or a combination thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 is a schematic of the air pulsing system,

FIG. 2 is a wiring schematic, and

FIG. 3 is a schematic of a portion of the pulsing system showing amodification thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With continuing reference tothe drawings in which applied reference numerals indicate partssimilarly identified in the following specification, the referencenumeral 1 indicates a pressure storage vessel, charged with air in thepresent embodiment and for present purposes is termed a high pressuretank and may include conventional accumulator means.

For charging of the tank from an external air source, the tank is fittedwith a valve at 2. While the term air is used it will be understood thatother medias such as hydraulic fluid may be used within the scope of theinvention. An additional source of pressurized air for tank 1 is in theform of a compressor at 4 powered by an electric motor 5. Constitutinganother or alternative source of air under pressure are tank supplylines at 6 each in communication at their unseen ends with aircylinders. The air cylinders are disposed adjacent each wheel of thevehicle for powering by travel of the wheel suspension member inrelation to the vehicle frame and are, in combination with additionalelements, the subject of a co-pending patent application, serial No.97,125 filed Oct. 8, 1970, and entitled Vehicular Air CompressionSystem. The tank 1 of the present system may be pressurized by one ormore of the means above described. Details of the air cylinder are laterdescribed.

Exiting from tank 1 is a high pressure conduit 7 with a pressureregulator 8 therein. In one embodiment of the invention a line pressureof PSI is provided to a first solenoid operated inlet valve 10controlling the entry of air into a first air cylinder 1 1 of a seriesof air cylinders including cylinders at 21 and 31 each of increasingvolume. Corresponding to valve 10 for controlling air to those other aircylinders are solenoid operated inlet valves 20 and 30 while similarvalves at 12, 22 and 32 hereinafter referred to as transfer valvescontrol the air flow intermediate the ends of each cylinder. Theselatter valves are located in transfer lines 13, 23, 33 communicating theopposite ends of each cylinder with check valves at 14, 24 and 34 forunidirectional air flow as indicated. Valves 10, 12 and 30, 32 arenormally (deenergized) open in the present embodiment while valves 20,22 are normally closed.

Each cylinder includes a piston 15, 25 and 35 biased by an internalcompression loaded helical spring at 16, 26 and 36 toward the highpressure inlet side of the cylinders. The springs 16, 26 and 36 eachhave progressively greater spring rates for exerting a greater force ontheir respective pistons.

Exhaust conduits at 17, 27 and 37 for the series of cylinders directsair past exhaust control valves respectively at 18, 28 and 38 withexhaust conduits 17 and 27 being in communication with the solenoidoperated inlet valves 20 and 30 serving the second and third aircylinders. Valves l8 and 38 are normally closed with valve 28 being ofthe normally open type.

What may be termed a low pressure air system provides that area beloweach of the pistons of each cylinder with a source of air under 10 PSI(above atmospheric) for actuation of their piston in the direction ofspring biased movement. A low pressure regulator 40, in a conduit 41,reduces downstream pressure in conduit 41 to approximately the 10 PSI.Indicated at 51, 61 and 71 are solenoid operated valves in lines 52, 62and 72 all branching off from conduit 41. Valves 51 and 71 are of thenonnally closed type while valve 61 is normally open.

Additionally included in the low pressure system is a low pressurestorage tank 80 constituting a second source of low pressure air for thecylinders 11, 21 and 31. A check valve at 79 admits air to tank 80 whenless than atmospheric pressure is in the tank. Air exits tank 80 vialines 53, 63 and 73 past check valves 54, 64 and 74 with said linesincorporating Y connections to receive lines 52, 62 and 72. The checkvalves 54, 64 and 74 are of the conventional spring biased type with theclosing action of their springs offset in a combined manner by thenegative upstream pressure during a merging air flow from line 52 intoline 53. An air line 29 is advantageously used to provide a source oflow pressure air from tank 80 to compressor 4.

Served by exhaust conduit 37 is an air motor to which a pulsating flowof air is provided past a regulating valve 91. The motor 90 may be of aconventional type such as a sliding vane type. A flywheel at 92 may beutilized to modify the effect of the irregular air impulses on therotational speed of the motor shaft.

It will be apparent that the motor 90 may be fed by a second series oflike cylinders, if desired, to provide air impulses at a greaterfrequency to said motor.

With reference to the wiring schematic of FIG. 2 one side of anelectrical source is indicated at 100, a first circuit includes lead 101with an off-on master control switch 102 therein closeable to energize atimer 103 with a rotor arm 104 for closing a second circuit at desiredintervals to a coil C actuating the armature 105 of a stepping switch106. Stepping switch 106 and its switch arm at 107 are operated byarmature 105 to close circuits in alternate positions for operation ofthe solenoid operated valves. Moveable switch arm 107 of the steppingswitch, in circuit via a conductor 108 with the electrical source, movesinto timed contact with the contacts at 109, 110 and 111 to actuate saidvalves with alternate arm positions at 112, 113, and 114 opening thevalve operating circuits to permit said valves to return to their normalposition.

With a pulsing cycle starting with the valves in their normal(deenergized) positions air flows past valve 10 into the top end ofcylinder 1 1 with air below the piston being ported past open valve 12and check 14 for convergence with the incommg arr.

Simultaneously for the second cylinder 21, normally closed valve isclosed as is valve 22 while normally open valves 28 permits a pulse ofair to be exhausted from cylinder 21 by action of the spring biasedpiston 25 supplemented by spring 26 and an incoming air flow enteringpast open valve 61 and check 64.

Simultaneously for the third cylinder 31, normally open valve 30 admitsthe air impulse into the cylinders top end while air below thedescending piston is transferred past normally open valve 32 and check34 for mergence with the incoming flow of air. Normally closed valves 38and 71 are closed at this time preparatory to the stepping switchenergizing the solenoid valves at which time the condition of the valvesis reversed to permit spring 36, assisted by an incoming air flow, toforcefully travel to the upper end of cylinder 31 discharging an impulseof air to motor 90.

For purposes of completeness of the present disclosure the wheel aircylinder is indicated at 81 and, as aforesaid, is included in thesubject matter of a second U.S. patent application filed by the presentinventors. The cylinder 81 is attached at its upper end to a vehicleframe member 82 and oppositely the cylinders piston rod end 83 isconnected to a wheel suspension member 84 of a vehicle. Check valves at85, 86 and 87 permit a flow of air as indicated into the upper end ofcylinder 81 from whence it is expelled by the upward stroke of piston88. A transfer conduit at 89 directs said flow to the rod side of therising piston 88 during raising movement of the suspension member 84.Subsequent opposite movement of the suspension member 84 as urged by thevehicle suspension spring 92 causes piston 88 to exhaust air therebelowpast check 87 to tank 1.

A modified form of the invention is disclosed in FIG. 3 wherein thethird cylinder of the above described form of the invention is replacedby a cylinder 31. Valves at 30', 32, 38, 71', and 74' in air lines 27,72 and 73 all function in accordance with the first described form ofthe invention. A departure exists in that the piston urged by spring 36is provided with a piston rod 1 15. The rod 115 terminates upwardly in asecond piston 116, the latter being the piston of a double actinghydraulic pump at 117. An incoming flow enters alternately through checkvalves 118-119 while fluid is alternately exhausted, under pressure,past check valves 120-121 to a hydraulic motor 122. It is to beunderstood that the hydraulic circuit would include the normalcomponents of any hydraulic circuit, e. g., pressure relief and flowcontrol valves, etc.,.

Motors 90, and 122 of the modified form, may drive through suitabletransmission and drive train components well known to those skilled inthe present art.

While we have shown but two embodiments of the invention it will beapparent to those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodiedstill otherwise without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

Having thus described the invention what we desire to secure under aLetters Patent is:

1. A system for converting air under constant pressure to a pulsatingair flow wherein the air impulses at peak pressure are of asubstantially greater pressure value than said constant pressure fordriving of a motor, said system comprising,

a pressure storage vessel,

a series of air cylinders each of progressively greater volume adaptedto receive an air charge in an alternating manner, piston means withineach of said cylinders, compressible means associated with each of saidpistons and actuated upon the downward stroke of its piston for theconservation of energy expended by the piston, an air transfer lineextending intermediate the ends of each cylinder and a transfer valve ineach of said lines,

a fluid operated motor driven by the last cylinder of the series,

high pressure conduits intercommunicating the upper ends of saidcylinders to provide same with a source of pressurized air, the firstcylinder of the series receiving air via a high pressure conduit fromsaid storage vesse l with the remaining cylinders of the seriesreceiving air moving sequentially through said cylinders,

inlet valves in said conduits admitting air under pressure to the upperends of the cylinders for downward displacement of their pistons,

exhaust valves also in said conduits permitting an exhaust of air fromthe upper ends of the cylinders during upward piston movement,

low pressure conduits in communication with the lower ends of saidcylinders and in communication with a source of low pressure air,

valves in said low pressure conduits permitting a flow of low pressureair through said last mentioned conduits into the lower ends of thecylinders during upward travel of said pistons, and

a control circuit simultaneously opening the inlet valve and transfervalve associated with each cylinder for admitting a flow of highpressure air and air transferred from the bottom side of the cylinder,said control circuit simultaneously closing the exhaust valve and thelow pressure valve associated with each cylinder during the downstrokeof the piston, said circuit operable additionally to simultaneouslyreserve the positions of the valves whereby the piston under theinfluence of low pressure air and said compressible means causes animpulse of air to be exhausted into the high pressure conduit and to asubsequent cylinder of the series with the piston of the last cylinderof the series operable to impart a force to a media for the operation ofa motor.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 installed on a vehicle andadditionally including wheel air cylinders disposed intermediate theframe and movable wheel suspension members of a vehicle, said aircylinders constituting an air pumping means for charging said pressurestorage vessel.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said transfer line of eachpiston and the high pressure conduit serving the piston merge whereby acombined flow of air and air exhausted from the lower end of thecylinder enter the upper end of the cylinder.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1 additionally including a lowpressure tank to receive the air exhausted by said fluid operated motor,additional low pressure conduits communicating the low pressure tankwith the lower end of said cylinders.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4 wherein each of said cylinders issupplied with a merging flow of low pressure air said additional lowpressure conduits including check valves.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said compressible meanscomprises a helical compression spring housed within each of saidcylinders, said springs having a spring rate increasing proportionallyto the diameter of the cylinders.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1 additionally including a lowpressure tank in receiving communication with said fluid motor, said lowpressure conduits including both conduits in communication with saidlast mentioned tank and the cylinders and additional conduits incommunication with the pressure storage vessel via pressure reducingmeans whereby either said lower pressure tank or said vessel may supplylow pressure air to the underside area of the pistons.

1. A system for converting air under constant pressure to a pulsatingair flow wherein the air impulses at peak pressure are of asubstantially greater pressure value than said constant pressure fordriving of a motor, said system comprising, a pressure storage vessel, aseries of air cylinders each of progressively greater volume adapted toreceive an air charge in an alternating manner, piston means within eachof said cylinders, compressible means associated with each of saidpistons and actuated upon the downward stroke of its piston for theconservation of energy expended by the piston, an air transfer lineextending intermediate the ends of each cylinder and a transfer valve ineach of said lines, a fluid operated motor driven by the last cylinderof the series, high pressure conduits intercommunicating the upper endsof said cylinders to provide same with a source of pressurized air, thefirst cylinder of the series receiving air via a high pressure conduitfrom said storage vessel with the remaining cylinders of the seriesreceiving air moving sequentially through said cylinders, inlet valvesin said conduits admitting air under pressure to the upper ends of thecylinders for downward displacement of their pistons, exhaust valvesalso in said conduits permitting an exhaust of air from the upper endsof the cylinders during upward piston movement, low pressure conduits incommunication with the lower ends of said cylinders and in communicationwith a source of low pressure air, valves in said low pressure conduitspermitting a flow of low pressure air through said last mentionedconduits into the lower ends of the cylinders during upward travel ofsaid pistons, and a control circuit simultaneously opening the inletvalve and transfer valve associated with each cylinder for admitting aflow of high pressure air and air transferred from the bottom side ofthe cylinder, said control circuit simultaneously closing the exhaustvalve and the low pressure valve associated with each cylinder duringthe downstroke of the piston, said circuit operable additionally tosimultaneously reserve the positions of the valves whereby the pistonunder the influence of low pressure air and said compressible meanscauses an impulse of air to be exhausted into the high pressure conduitand to a subsequent cylinder of the series with the piston of the lastcylinder of the series operable to impart a force to a media for theoperation of a motor.
 2. The system as claimed in claim 1 installed on avehicle and additionally including wheel air cylinders disposedintermediate the frame and movable wheel suspension members of avehicle, said air cylinders constituting an air pumping means forcharging said pressure storage vessel.
 3. The system as claimed in claim1 wherein said transfer line of each piston and the high pressureconduit serving the piston merge whereby a combined flow of air and airexhausted from the lower end of the cylinder enter the upper end of thecylinder.
 4. The system as claimed in claim 1 additionally including alow pressure tank to receive the air exhausted by said fluid operatedmotor, additional low pressure conduits communicating the low pressuretank with the lower end of said cylinders.
 5. The system as claimed inclaim 4 whereiN each of said cylinders is supplied with a merging flowof low pressure air said additional low pressure conduits includingcheck valves.
 6. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein saidcompressible means comprises a helical compression spring housed withineach of said cylinders, said springs having a spring rate increasingproportionally to the diameter of the cylinders.
 7. The system asclaimed in claim 1 additionally including a low pressure tank inreceiving communication with said fluid motor, said low pressureconduits including both conduits in communication with said lastmentioned tank and the cylinders and additional conduits incommunication with the pressure storage vessel via pressure reducingmeans whereby either said lower pressure tank or said vessel may supplylow pressure air to the underside area of the pistons.